Heart Of Stone

Chapter Seven

SERA'S POV
"Good afternoon, Sir Pentious." I politely greet the hellspawn who is standing in front of me.
I have been trying desperately to keep him a secret. Or rather, I have been trying to keep where he's from a secret. As far as anyone up here is concerned, he is just your average winner. No one must learn that a soul from Hell has been let into Heaven. If something were to go wrong, say he were to attack our people, I would be at the receiving end of the blame. However, perhaps I do deserve it.

"Hello High Seraphim."
"How have you been settling in?" I try and keep my voice neutral and professional despite how much I do dislike that he's here.
"Oh very well Dear. Thank you."
"People are still unaware of your true identity and where you are from correct?"
"Yes, I told you your Highness, you have my word. No one suspects a thing."
I can't help but let out a small sigh of relief; I am truly finding it difficult to trust this creature.
I nod to him and begin to choose my words carefully.
"You know that no one can know about this. A hellspawn in Heaven is completely against our foundations. How you ended up here, I am not quite sure... but I know this can never happen again."
The demon nods at me and gives an almost ridiculous looking bow.
"Yes, your Highness. I understand. Like I've told you before, no one will know."
He turns and exits.
I keep my gaze fixed upon him until he is all the way out of sight. I sigh and lean against the wall behind me. Sometimes I wonder how I manage to get myself into so many stressful situations. I let my gaze wander and feel my stomach clench dread when my eyes catch on someone standing in the doorway that Sir Pentious had just left through.
EMILY'S POV
"Emily?"
I barely register the fact that she's speaking to me. My whole body is filled with rage, rage that I didn't know I could even feel.
"Emily, I can explain." I can see desperation in her eyes.
"Explain? Explain how you, the one I've trusted since I was a kid, lied to me. And you continue to lie to me." My voice was a lot louder than I meant for it to be. I know under any other circumstances I would never speak to her like this.
"It was for your own safety Emily."
I raise my hand to silence her.
"I'm sick of the excuses Sera. Now I know why you have been so distant ever since he arrived here."
I guess the hurt in my voice was clear because I see her take a step back.
"No one was ever supposed to learn about this. This is all a mistake... he should not be here to begin with."
I laugh but the is no humor behind it.
"As if you even know what gets someone into Heaven. Need I remind you about the court hearing? Not Adam, nor you for that matter, ever answered the question of what actually gets a soul up here in the first place."
"Emily, that is enough from you."
"No!" I know I should stop while I'm ahead but I'm just so angry I can't.
"Pardon me?" There is a dangerous edge to her tone.
"I said no! I'm not the naïve child you think I am Sera. I don't need your protection anymore! And what you are doing is unacceptable! You are hiding the fact that redemption, the one thing that Charlie wants to achieve, is possible. The souls in Hell can be spared from their suffering and the senseless slaughter our people bring upon them."
"The people in Hell, Emily, have earned their eternal damnation. They are horrible people who if let into Heaven, would cause unnecessary tension and danger to our people."
"See? There you go again! You never listen to me. Never! Why should I listen to you? All you do is contradict yourself! It's obvious Sir Pentious hasn't brought any of that here. He has been behaving himself. He is one of the kindest people I have ever met and welcomed into our home. Yeah, maybe he hasn't always been this way. But you can't tell that he was ever evil. Maybe some people in Hell are truly bad... but on the other hand, some of them may have just been dealt an awful hand in life. Did you ever think about that?"
"Emily... please. You can't say things like that. You could end up suffer-"
"The same fate as Lucifer," I cut her off, "Yeah, I know. You keep saying that. But have you ever thought that maybe I don't care. Maybe Hell is better. At least I wouldn't be practically spoon fed lies every single damn day of my life!"
"Emily... I..."
"You know what Sera? Save it! I'm done with this conversation. I'm done with you thinking you are better than everyone and that you know all. I know you say it's for my safety, but I'm starting to believe otherwise."
I turn and storm out of the room, trying but to no avail, to blink back the angry tears that fill my eyes.
*A/N*: Hi! Things are about to hit the fan now that Emily knows about Sir Pentious! If anyone has any suggestions for plot ideas or any specific character POV you'd like to see, leave them in the comments! Thanks so much for reading!